A PROPOSAL Humbly offered to the PARLIAMENT, For suppressing of POPERY.  
Right Honourable,  
TO you who are not only the principal Patriots of your Country, but the sole Protectors of our lives and fortunes, under (Almighty God and our most Gracious Sovereign now reigning) whom, God of his goodness preserve and protect in health and prosperity, spite of all Romish Treasons whatsoever. At your feet (Right Honourable) these subsequent Proposals are humbly laid, with that due reverence and humility as is due to so great an Assembly; and with an integrity every way equivolent to the justness and equity of the present Case, now depending betwixt the inhuman Bloodthirsty Romanists (for Catholics I dare not presume to call them) and the honest, loyal, well meaning, and truly faithful Protestants in England. But by the way, let us request your Honours not to misconstrue the method of our proceeding, since we do not desire to render the Papists odious; could we ourselves secure our own safety, we have that candid construction-for them, which, possibly, they never deserved, nor ever may, I pray God we may be mistaken: we design no tumults, nor will spit out any frothy language, that may encourage any so to do, since this is our principle, to beseech your Honours for redress, which if your Honours do, we shall be beyond measure thankful; if not, we are confident Almighty God will protect us.  
We need not inform your Honours of the prodigious growth of Popery, or the dismal effects thereby occasioned, former experience hath sufficiently convinced us of their hellish designs; and that the same things (and woeful Tragedies) may be acted again, we have as great reason to fear, as your Honours to prevent. In a word, your Honours are humbly desired to take these few following proposals into consideration, as you tender the welfare, not only of your King and Country, but consequently of yourselves.  
Setting aside the Succession to the Crown (a thing not fit for inferior subjects to intermeddle withal) which we shall leave, Let us humbly request, with your Honour's leave and permission, these few things following. viz.  
First, Unity; That what God hath not set up in his Church may be pulled down, and those things taken out of the way which have been (and possibly may be) always bones of contention amongst persons truly learned and pious: For certainly, it can neither be prejudicial to the Church, to yield in those things which Dissenters account sinful, and which the Church itself calls but indifferent; and therefore no more than chips in Porridg, not worth contending for. This, your Honours know, is the ready way to unite all in affection, and what the consequence will produce, your Honours are best able to conceive, especially when Popery is so prevalent, and their faction so potent amongst us, as now it is.  
Your Honours are not unsensible of what great concern Unity will be amongst us, and chief that of Religion; in which respect (with your Honour's approbation) we humbly conceive, with all modesty be it spoken, no more probable course can be propounded than the aforegoing Proposal, which doubtless with His Majesty's consent, may be happily effected to the eternal glory of the Nation.  
This main (and indeed chief) business being obtained, we with your Honour's permission further request,  
That in respect the bringing in, and introducing of Popery, will in all probability, not only put a period to our fortunes, but our lives to boot (for Fire and Faggot will never be forgotten as long as a true English Protestant survives) we therefore, on our bended Knees, supplicate your Honours, That Smithfield may never appear in Flames, except on the Fifth day of November Annually. Your Honours know it is an old Proverb no less usual than useful, That the  Child dreads the Fire; and it now alone lies in your bosom to prevent, what we with dread fear, though we hope God Almighty will never suffer our Enemies to effect.  
To induce your Honours to so pious a deed, we need urge no further Arguments than the infallible losing your own Estates and Fortunes; for the Cannon-Law of the Church of Rome absolutely determines, That not only a private person, but a Prince, being a Heretic (as they term all Protestants, without exception, to be) incurs by his default, 
* Caput Vergentis, de Hereticus, in a General Council.  Crimen lesae Majestatis divinis, as their own Authors affirm, whereupon it is no more sin to kill such a Heretical Prince than a Dog, as well as confiscate his Estate: And if Princes are thus served, what must their Subjects expect?  
Multitudes of the like decrees I could mention unto your Honours, but I suppose your Honours are not ignorant in this case, what yourselves, as well as we must depend on, if ever such bloodthirsty Villains get the upper hand, which God forbidden. We therefore humbly request your Honours, by the kindness you have for yourselves and peculiar Families, as well as the whole Nation, that you would herein gratify our humble and modest request.  
Your Honours are not ignorant of what an eminent Divine told us of late, viz. That those persons who already had the impudence to deny a Popish Plot, would never boggle to effect their Treason upon the first opportunity that offers. And since His Majesty's life (which we value infinitely beyond our own private concerns) stands on so ticklish a point, as to be in a manner subject to the bloodthirsty Sword of every daring Russian, we have the greatest reason in the World to beseech your Honours to take a timely care to prevent so eminent a mischief, which, for aught we know, will not only ruin us, but strike a great blow towards the utter subvertion of all the Protestants in Europe.  
And now let us humbly request your Honours, to consider, whether any thing can possibly be fitter propounded for the present times, at this season, than what is here humbly laid at your feet, viz. The strengthening of the Nation at home by a perfect and entire union amongst ourselves, and suppressing all appearances of Popery, a name which makes all loyal English Protestants tremble. This may it please your Honours, is humbly offered you for your serious perusal, in behalf of all Loyal Protestants; by a  
Loyal Subject to the King, and a faithful Servant to his Country's interest J. B.   

Printed, and are to be Sold by Richard Janeway in Queen's head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row. 1680.